Baby Don't Stop

Chapter Five

Ten has just left Eunjin. Who just admitted to telling the entire world that Ten was gay. He had been so sure it was Taeyong he didn't even consider that Eunjin could have known something.
As Ten walks nowhere fast he realizes he has no idea where Taeyong was at the moment. He pulled out his phone to try to call Taeyong.
No answer. He dialed again. Still nothing. Looks like Ten was going on a man hunt. First place to start would be the place he wanted to go least. The Dorms.
He knew what he was going to face when he got back. But he needed Taeyong to know that he didn't blame him and that he knew who had really told the newspaper. Dang Eunjin, that girl was more trouble than he had thought possible.
As he enters into the doors to the Dorms he braces himself for the worst. A bunch of the member are in the living room talking but they all go silent when they see Ten.
"Have any of you seen Taeyong?" Ten asks cautiously.
A couple of the members shake their heads.
Ten doesn't wait for them to talk any further, he doesn't want to hear it but before he can leave Chenle speaks up.
"He went off to look for you a couple hours ago, we haven't seen him since."
Ten smiles at them before he exits back out of the dorms. Ten had said some pretty mean stuff to Taeyong earlier. It would be just like him to go and do something irrational and stupid because of what Ten had said. Oh goodness he had to find him quickly.
Think, think, think, Ten tells himself. It was probably going to be best if he retraced Taeyong's steps from the company.
As Ten exited the building of the dorms he was swarmed by cameras and reporters. He does his best to ignore all of the commotion around him. Ten pulls up his hood and puts in his earphones. He just has to keep walking with his head down and ignore all the people crowded around him. The sun was just starting to set in the sky.
As Ten walks he starts to think about the day. It felt crazy, how could all this have happened today? He was no longer a closeted gay idol. Now he was an outed gay idol. Would it just all be for the best if he just told everyone he was gay? He wouldn't have to hide his sexuality anymore. Although being gay wasn't totally accepted in Korea yet. Ten wondered if his fans would hate him. Would people ridicule him for who he was? For something he really had no control over.
What would the company say if he just told the whole world that he was gay? If he took the matter into his own hand's and didn't let the company control this one thing. He could just imagine the chaos. But the more he thought about affirming the rumor the more confident he felt that he couldn't live with himself any longer keeping it a secret.
He still didn't want any of the pressure or eyes on him, but that didn't change that he knew in his heart that he was gay and he couldn't change it so why pretend otherwise.
As he arrived at the company he saw Taeyong up front talking with a small group of fans. What had he gotten himself into? Ten blushed thinking about all the trouble Taeyong could get himself into when he set his mind to it.

***
Taeyong had just gotten back from wandering the streets of Seoul. Which he spent most of that time worrying over Ten and the whole situation. How was he going to protect Ten from all the press and the backlash that he was bound to have? What should Taeyong do to lessen the pressure on Ten? As he asked himself questions he didn't get answers but just more and more questions.
When he pulled himself out of his own thoughts he realized he was back on the steps of the company. A moment or two later a couple fans came up to him. "You will not believe what we found."
Taeyong shoves his hands in his pockets. "Do tell," he looks at them pointedly.
One of the smaller fans speaks up. "So we went to the Newspapers headquarters and corner basically everyone who came out and asked for who released the article."
Another fan speaks up, "Eventually it must have gotten to them that we were looking and so they came down to talk to us."
"Turns out that she was good friends with her 'source' and the 'source' told her in confidence about Ten."
"Well? Did she tell you who it was?" Taeyong asks impatiently.
"Yes! Some girl named Park Eunjin..." the fan continues to talk but Taeyong can't listen.
How in the world had Eunjin found out about Ten? She had already left the Resturaunt when they had left. And Ten had told Taeyong in a park.
Could she have been in the park and overheard Ten? How dare she expose his secret like that? And she said she really liked Ten, it didn't seem like she liked him much to Taeyong. Especially if she was willing to throw him under the bus like that.
Taeyong looked up to scan the crowd of fans that had gathered around him. He saw a hooded figure headed toward him. Their eyes locked and Taeyong knew that it was Ten. He had to tell Ten what really happened.
As Ten walked up the steps to the Company Taeyong couldn't help but blurt out, "I found out who told the rumor. It wasn't me and I have proof-" his words are halted as Ten holds up a hand.
"Don't worry I know. I'll explain how I know later, it's quite the story." He gives Taeyong a reassuring smile.
Suddenly one of the fans yells out, "Ten oppa! Are you really gay?"
And in that moment Taeyong didn't know what overcame him. All he knew was he wanted to protect Ten from any more humiliation.
So without any hesitation Taeyong found himself yelling back. "I'm gay!"
When he turned his head to face Ten all he could see on Ten's face was utter shock and disbelief. As they stared at one another they couldn't hear anything but shouting and the shutters of cameras.
Then Ten is grabbing Taeyong's hand and pulling him through the doors of the company building.
As they enter the doors Ten turned to face Taeyong. "What in the world was that?" Ten grips Taeyong's hand harder in his worry. It was one thing for Ten to come out as gay seeing as he was actually gay. But Taeyong was so far from the gay spectrum. Now he had shoved himself into the limelight in front of Ten. "What were you thinking?"
"I, Uh, guess I wasn't really thinking much. I just kept thinking about that story you told me about the Valentine and I just, I didn't want you to have to go through all that again. And this time you can't escape to a different school. This time you are stuck with all that comes with this and I feel like it is partially my fault so I needed to help fix it."
"By admitting that you are gay Taeyong?" Ten is still shocked but he is also touched that Taeyong was doing this all for him. He had basically risked everything and his whole world for Ten by saying what he did. "Are you sure that was the best course of action to take?"
"Maybe not but now it's too late and if it helps you I think it's worth it." He shrugged and gave Ten a lopsided smile.
Ten could feel himself melt at that smile, but now was not the time! They were in a huge mess!
"Um okay, so you need to go back out there and tell them that you were lying. You need to tell them the truth."
"No, I don't want to."
Ten sputters and he can't help but wring his hands together.
When Taeyong sees this he grabs Ten's hands. "Hey, breathe. It's going to be alright."
"How can you be so calm right now? Do you just not realize what you just did?" Ten tries to pull his hands out of Taeyong's but he just holds them tighter.
"Everything will be alright. Let's go do damage control." Taeyong gives Ten's hands a quick squeeze before letting them go. They walk in silence to their managers office. When they get to the door they both take a deep breath before walking into his office.
As they enter they see their manager standing beside the CEO who was sitting in the office seat.
He spoke shortly and sharp, "The both of you, sit." He is sitting with his elbows on the desk and his hands are intertwined with each other. "What are we going to do with the two of you?" he is silent for a moment as he just sits there staring at them.
"Sir-"
"No. No speaking unless I ask you a question. First the rumor about Ten, then Taeyong you went out and blatantly said in front of reporters and fans alike that you are also gay. Okay, is any of this true? Because if it isn't." he doesn't finish.
Taeyong speaks up before Ten can. "Yes sir. I can't speak for Ten but I am gay."
Ten looks over at Taeyong. He wasn't going to try to paint Ten as straight, no way. "Sir I am also gay."
Their CEO pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers and takes a deep breath. "What are the chances that you are both gay? My goodness what am I going to do?"
"It would probably be best to just confirm the rumors because, uh well we are dating." Taeyong reaches out to grab Ten's hand.
What was Taeyong doing? Was he trying to dig a hole for himself that he couldn't ever climb out of? Ten couldn't do anything but stare at Taeyong in shock. He felt like his world had gotten turned on its head 3 times just today. The first time when he found out that everyone knew he was gay, the second time when Taeyong told everyone that HE was gay, and the third time right now when Taeyong told their CEO that they were dating.
It was as if all of his wildest dreams had come true in the strangest of ways. His long time crush was 'gay.' And suddenly he was dating him. How did it turn out like this? He knew that Taeyong could get himself into trouble but this was a whole other ball park.
"Well, if what you say is true then it is probably best that we come up with a course of action that includes you two dating. Wonderful. How long?"
"How long?" Ten asks curiously. His head was still trying to wrap itself around what was happening.
"Oh, it has only been a couple months." Taeyong tells the CEO.
"Okay, while we come up with a course of action I want the both of you on lockdown in the company building. No leaving, no talking to anyone but me and your manager. I want you to basically lock yourself in a practice room and not leave till we come to get you. Alright?"
"Okay." Taeyong squeezes Ten's hand.
"Okay." Ten hears himself say.